1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of tissue specific types of pharmaceutical adjuvants, and in particular, vaccine adjuvants that may be used in preparations for the treatment and/or inhibition of ovarian tumors and/or ovarian cancers. The present invention also relates to the field of ovarian cancer vaccine preparations, as the adjuvants may be provided as part of a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of ovarian cancer, such as in an ovarian cancer vaccine. The present invention also relates to methods for treating an animal, and human patients, for ovarian cancer, and methods for preventing and/or inhibiting ovarian cancer in an animal and in a human patient, and for inhibiting the growth of an ovarian tumor. In particular, the invention also relates to the filed of immunization methods, as a method for immunizing an animal, and a human patient, for ovarian cancer is provided. In particular, the invention provides preparations, such as vaccine preparations, that include the pharmaceutical adjuvant, specifically an ovarian cancer vaccine adjuvant, together with an ovarian tumor antigen and/or antigens as part of an immunization regimen to immunize an animal for ovarian cancer.
2. Related Art
Human ovarian cancer is a common gynecological malignancy. Ovarian cancers shed cells into the naturally occurring fluid within the abdominal cavity. These cells can implant on other abdominal (peritoneal) structures, including the uterus, urinary bladder, bowel and the lining of the bowel wall (omentum).
Stage I ovarian cancers are confined to one or both ovaries. In Stage II, the ovarian cancer has spread to pelvic but not the abdominal organs. In Stage III, the ovarian cancer has spread to abdominal organs and in Stage IV, the cancer has spread to distant sites, for example the lung, brain, or lymph nodes in the neck. Within these stages there are subcategories that are identified based on tumor size, node involvement and metastatic status. Thus a tumor can be a IIA, which describes a tumor that has spread and attached to the uterus, where as a IIB tumor describes a tumor that has in addition spread to other pelvic tissues, but with no cancer cells in the ascites or peritoneum, and so on. In addition to tumor staging, ovarian tumors, a type of epithelial tumor, can also be graded. Grade refers to the character of the cells of the tumor. Grade 1 is the least malignant with well-differentiated cells, Grade 2 is intermediate with moderately differentiated cells, and Grade 3 is the most malignant with poorly differentiated cells.
Ovarian cancer generally has a poor prognosis. It is estimated that one woman in 100 will die from this cancer in the United States. Ovarian cancer is disproportionately deadly because it lacks any clear early detection or screening test, meaning that most cases are not diagnosed until they have reached advanced stages. For example, more than 60% of patients presenting with this cancer already have Stage III or Stage IV ovarian cancer. The five-year survival rate for all stages of ovarian cancer is only 45.5%. Because of its aggressive nature, new approaches to the prevention and/or treatment of ovarian cancer are needed.